Anfernee Hardaway sank two crucial free throws and finished with
29 points and Bo Outlaw atoned for a late turnover with a key
defensive play in the final seconds as the Orlando Magic pulled
out an 89-88 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers.

Rony Seikaly, who had 14 points and 10 rebounds, made two free
throws to cap a 13-3 run and give Orlando an 84-74 lead with
5:10 to play. Isaiah Rider answered with a four-point play, the
15th in Blazers history, to spark an 11-0 spurt. He scored nine
of his 33 points during the run, including a layup with 2:50
remaining that put Portland in front, 85-84.

Hardaway made 1-of-2 from the foul line before Outlaw sank a
free throw. He missed the second, but teammate Derek Strong was
fouled going for the rebound. Strong hit two more from the
stripe, building an 88-85 edge.

Hardaway hit another free throw with 1:01 to play before Brian
Grant sank a free throw and a turnaround jumper in the final
minute to pull Portland within one.

On the next possession, Hardaway was off the mark with a
three-pointer but Outlaw got the rebound. As he tried a follow
shot, Outlaw traveled, giving the ball back to the Blazers with
2.6 seconds left.

Stacy Augmon threw the inbounds pass from midcourt, but Darrell
Armstrong knocked it away and Outlaw chased down the loose ball,
helping secure the Magic's fifth victory in the last six road
games.

"I was glad that anybody but them caught it," Outlaw said. "I
didn't want them to throw the ball at the rim the way it was
going in tonight. It might have gone in if J.R. (Rider) had
caught it."

Outlaw and Nick Anderson scored 11 points apiece for Orlando,
which has won eight of its last 10 games and four in a row
against Portland.

"We couldn't hold on to a 10-point lead and almost gave the game
away," Magic coach Chuck Daly said.

"We've been losing to all the elite teams in the NBA. We took
the challenge tonight to come out and try to play against a good
Portland team on their home floor," Hardaway added. "We saw how
we sized up, we did well and won a great game."

Rider was not as complimentary toward Orlando.

"The Magic are not the same without Shaq. We need to beat a
team like that," he said. "They are mediocre and we need to get
it done. Against the Lakers or Indiana, maybe you are satisfied
with a one-point loss, but not against Orlando."

Blazers coach Mike Dunleavy was forced to play rookie guard
Alvin Williams a career-high 40 minutes. Williams set career
highs with 14 points and nine assists, playing in place of point
guards Kenny Anderson and John Crotty. Anderson started but left
after five minutes with a thigh bruise. Crotty was placed on the
injured list before the game with a sore right knee and was
replaced by rookie Rick Brunson, who played three minutes.

"When you have people out like Kenny Anderson, you can't make
mistakes on the little things," Blazers coach Mike Dunleavy
said. "I felt our defense improved in the second half, but we
just didn't execute well enough."

Grant had 13 points and eight rebounds for Portland, but fellow
starting forward Rasheed Wallace was just 2-of-8 from the field
and finished with five points, nine boards and four blocks.
Center Arvydas Sabonis fouled out with nine points and 10
rebounds as the Blazers dropped their second straight home game.

Rider, who was 12-of-20 from the floor, became the first Blazer
to convert a four-point play since James Robinson on February
3rd, 1995 against Minnesota.

The last of Anderson's three three-pointers sparked a 13-3
spurt, which snapped a 71-71 tie with 9:33 to play. Armstrong
scored all four of his points during the run.

Hardaway scored 15 of his 21 first-half points in the opening
quarter, helping Orlando to a 45-42 hafltime edge. His status
was questionable due to tendinitis in his left knee, an injury
that forced him to miss five games last month.

"Penny was spectacular. This was one of his great games," Daly
said. "He didn't shoot around today and we didn't know if he
would play until we got to the arena tonight."